Favorite Teams

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) leans on defending Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green (8) as he controls the ball in the second half of Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, in New York on Saturday, April 20, 2013. The Knicks won 85-78.
(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

NEW YORK -- The Boston Celtics aren't as powerful now. But the New York Knicks are still showing them all kinds of respect.

Carmelo Anthony called Tuesday night's Game 2 a "must-win," saying the Knicks don't want to go back to Boston with an even series.

“You don’t want to go up there facing that team and that crowd,” Kenyon Martin added. “I’ve been there. We’ve got to take care of home. All the importance is on Game 2 now.”

"They're pros," Martin said. "They're competitors. They won a championship together. They've been to other Finals and lost, so we know what they're capable of doing. So we've got to make sure that they don't (bounce back)."

After Saturday's Game 1 win, Anthony said: "It's going to be a battle. Although we won today we didn't really do anything. We protected our home court and got our first win. Game 2 is going to be even tougher and harder. We have to keep that mentality. We have to have a 48-minute mentality."

Pablo Prigioni (ankle) is expected to return in Game 2, and will start if he does. Tyson Chandler downplayed the effects of a bulging disc in his neck that forced him to miss 16 of New York's final 20 games, saying he expects to be stronger as the series continues and he gets his conditioning back.